CHAPTER 5 | CRISIS

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It was Saturday, which also means my first day at work. I woke up at 10am to find an empty house and bread and jam in the kitchen. Teacher Li must have left for work already. Still, I sat myself down by the kitchen counter, nibbling on my piece of bread. I was extremely thankful for the food because I literally have nothing to cure my stomach of its hunger. Yesterday, I hardly had gotten myself a wink of sleep due to incessant noises, which finally stop after an hour. But still, you can’t just fall asleep after letting your ears experience such traumatic sounds.

I changed into the simplest outfit that I’ve brought with me, a white blouse and black dress pants. I try to keep my makeup minimal but I covered my mole and put on the wig. They would now become my daily routine. When I was done, I got out of the apartment and made sure to lock the door properly. The morning sun was so hot I think my makeup is melting. I made my way to the roadside and hailed down a taxi. Having not taken a public bus in my whole entire life, I took the safe choice with a taxi because I do not want to be late on my first day.

When I reached Bronx, I was ushered to the back entrance, after almost committing the mistake of walking through the front door. There was already a very long queue, for people who did not reserve seats in time. Ms Shepard greeted me in the kitchen and put me under the wing of Roxy, the waitress who helped me yesterday night. I liked her already, even her name was special.

“Eun Ji, can you start by helping out in the kitchen? The washing ahjumma just quit, and I’m scared that there won’t be enough plates to serve. Lunch hour now is especially busy for us. Come let me show you. Basically wipe the plate first before washing it with soap then rinse it. It is important not to let any soap remain,” Roxy demonstrated with a plate before leaving me to fend for myself.

Throughout the whole afternoon, plates kept piling up, higher and higher. My arms were aching and my fingers were in a far worse state than just prunes. I scrubbed, I washed and I dried, but I’m fine with it. It was a totally new experience and I was thankful for it, to learn how to do the basic things in life. Near late afternoon, the plates stopped piling and I was able to get a rest. Roxy came into the kitchen and brought me around to introduce me to all the staff. The others were really welcoming and the chef, a big, bubbly man, even gave me a hug. Roxy told me I’ll be waitressing later because the evening washing ahjumma was coming. We chatted for a while, and I was glad to say, Roxy became a pretty good friend of mine. Apparently, she was half-American. Her father died of cancer 5 years ago and she came back with her Korean mother. She attended the same university as me but would be graduating soon. She works here so she could help her mother pay some of the tuition fees. I thought about myself, and all the things that were just placed into my hands since birth. It was time to start relying on myself because I felt better to receive things when I know I earned them.

Dinnertime started and people began coming in. My first table was a British couple and I was quite nervous. They all looked so serious and I wondered if I looked like this to the waitresses at restaurants I went to.

“Good evening, may I take your order please?” I finally uttered my first sentence in English.

“We would like two chicken chops and the best wine you’ve got here.”

I took their menus and gave the order straight to the kitchen. At the end of their meal, I was shocked because they left a huge tip behind. I left it in the tip jar, which would be split among workers at the end of the day. It was a pretty good first try, I shall say. I was proceeding to my second table but I stopped in my tracks.

Park Doo Joon was here.

I was freaking out, because I really didn’t want anyone to recognize me. I automatically reached towards my wig and pulled it real tight, hoping and praying that it won’t fall off.

Okay, you can do this, Yoon Yu Ri.

I made my way over and regained a professional composure.

“Good evening sir, what would you like?”

“One poached cod with green olives and potato puree, that’d be all.”

He passed me the menu.

“Oh! It’s you!” He exclaimed when our gazes met.

Argh, , I thought, he recognized me? How am I going to get out of this?

“You are the girl from Luna right? The one I’ve mistaken for someone I know?”

And I let out the breath that I was holding. I flashed a smile and nodded.

“Is Eun Ji your name? I hope I remember a pretty girl’s name correctly. I know someone who looked exactly like you and thought you guys were twins or something. Did you start work here recently? I’ve never seen you around before. I dine here quite often because I like the poached cod. But I’m always alone eating. It’s good to see someone I know here. Have you tried the food here? You should try the poached cod. It’s good. I said that already, didn’t I? Sorry for rambling, I forget all my social manners in the presence of a goddess like you. Oh , did I just call you a goddess? This is so embarrassing. I apologize for it.”

He finally shut up when he heard me laugh. I never knew Doo Joon was the kind of guy to get nervous in a girl’s presence. Still, I felt flattered that he thought I was pretty. Having a history of 3 pathetic failed relationships did not help me much in boosting my self esteem.

“Hmm. It’s okay. Just let me go and place your order now, sir? I promise I’ll come back later,” I told him. He was a nice person and I see no reason why I should not befriend him.

I went about my rounds and I kept seeing Doo Joon looking at me every now and then. When my shift ended, it was already 10pm. I was extremely sweaty and smelly but I felt good about today. Miss Shepard was gathering round all the stuff and dividing the tips. I accepted my share and thanked everyone before grabbing my stuff and going off. Tomorrow I start work at 1pm instead and I only have to work till 6pm. The restaurant is only open for lunch and afternoon tea on Sundays so I thought it was a relief. Outside Bronx’s staff entrance, I counted my money under the dim streetlamp. A total of $187.80. That. Was. ing. Spectacular. Though it paled in comparison to the amount of money I had, I think that earning this amount by myself in a day was worth all the sweat. I was stuffing the envelope into my purse when I saw a shadow move. I tightened my grip on my purse because no way in hell I would let whoever that was touch my hard earned money. Someone was approaching me from behind, I can tell from the shadow on the floor. I told myself to stay calm and mustered up all the courage I have inside me to turn and karate the person.

“Ouch! What was that for?” A meek voice called out from the ground.

Oh no. It was Doo Joon. I helped him up, mumbling apologies while checking his head for any sign of swelling. I think I hit him pretty hard.

“Are you okay? Hurt anywhere?”

“Just my pride that is hurt. Anyways, I realized I did not introduce myself properly. I’m Park Doo Joon, nice to meet you.”

“So you waited out here just to introduce yourself?” I asked, finding it quite amusing.

“Well, no. But I want to send you home. Would you give me the pleasure to?”

Hmm. A free ride home. Why not?

In the car, we made mindless chatter about ourselves. I found out that we do have many things in common, a peculiar taste for intricate things and of course, a weird interest in opera music. I told him about art, something I wouldn’t tell if I was Yoon Yu Ri. I told him about Mirage, and how nervous I was that it’s in two days’ time. He told me to calm down and strangely enough, I invited him to the art exhibition as my plus one. We finally turned into the apartment and like my reaction yesterday, he had his mouth agape.

“You live here?”

“Yeah, I am staying with a friend for the time being.”

“Oh, just curious. Park City Development built it, didn’t they?”

Now I remember! Suites 81 belongs to Doo Joon’s company. Argh, I’m such a muddle head.

“I think so? Well anyways, this is me. Thanks for the ride! I’ll see you Monday?”

“Yes, I’ll pick you up. 6.30pm here?”

I nodded at him and waited for him to drive off. I ruffled my wig, because well I obviously can’t touch my hair now. My hand trailed up the buttons to press the 20^th story but at the last minute, I pressed the penthouse. Might as well see what’s going on up there.

The lift pinged and the doors opened.

I walked towards the black door and pressed the doorbell. I let it ring for a while before pressing it again. Someone was home and making it very obvious that he can’t be bothered opening the door, as if the lights from the bottom of the door wasn’t a dead giveaway already. I was getting really annoyed and I banged on the door. To my surprise, the heavy looking door opened slowly. I quickly pushed it open and was met with the messiest house anyone could see. The umbrella stand was knocked to the ground, coats were strewn everywhere, furniture overturned. Worse of all, beer bottles and broken glass lay everywhere. The smell of alcohol mixed with some unrecognizable smoke-like thing hung in the air. Now I know what happened last night. Some idiot must have been venting his anger out on his own house. No wonder there was the pom sound, must be all the furniture falling.

“Excuse me? Anybody home?” I called out. I know it was rude to barge into someone’s house like this but really, this guy should be taught a lesson for disturbing the neighbors.

“Hello?” I called out a second time, but louder. I walked around the house, careful not to step on broken glass.

I thought that it was the main bedroom so I pushed open the doors. It was really dark inside and I felt along the walls for the light switch. The lights but surprisingly, the bedroom was neat and clean. I made my way in and found it modernly furnished to perfection. There was a huge bed with black covers. And a figure curled up under the covers. I walked over, thinking that I would get my revenge and wake this cruel man up. I crept up behind him, and screamed in the loudest voice I could into his ears. His lack of reaction wasn’t what I wanted. Unable to take it anymore, I lifted my foot and kicked him hard.

Oh. My. God.

The covers shifted to reveal dyed blonde hair matted by sweat. His face was very pale, almost lifeless. It was then when I noticed the bottle of pills hidden by his body. The empty bottle of pills. This bastard, did he attempt suicide? This guy was so screwed up on so many different levels. I took out my phone and called the ambulance, starting to panic just a little. I kept slapping him and calling out his name “GD! GD!” which to tell the truth, was still weird. He wouldn’t move at all but at least, he was breathing. Soon after, the ambulance came. The paramedics took him and I was going to go back home but decided against it in the end. I sat in the back, pretty worried because no matter how screwed up he was, he didn’t deserve to die.

At the emergency room, I had to fill things up for his admission into hospital. I really wished I was home.

“Miss, do you know his name?”

“Ummm… GD? I found him in his apartment like this…” I replied, pretty unsure because I didn’t know a single thing about him.

“GD? GD?! It’s okay! I can fill up everything for him! Oh my, you are so lucky to know him. I can’t believe he’s in the hospital now,” the nurse exclaimed. Her reaction was simply over the top. I left her with the admission procedures and then proceeded to find the doctor.

“How is he?” I asked, noting that GD was still unconscious.

“Oh he’s fine now. Just wait for him to wake up from the anesthesia. We cleansed his tummy. Luckily you brought him in in time, if not half an hour more he would be dead from an overdose on anxiety pills.”

I thanked the doctor before walking to GD’s bedside. I suddenly felt this unexplainable pang of sadness for him. Something real bad must have had happened to him, for him to drink so much, to kill himself. I smoothed down his messed up hair and poured myself a glass of water before settling myself into the chair beside his bed. Right now, he looks just like a weak little boy, and not the angry man I first saw him to be.

The night passed slowly, and I fell into a deep sleep.

A/N Sorry I haven't updated for so long! I've been so caught up with watching Good Doctor and I just finished it yesterday night at 3am. Sighh... It was a really good show. Anyways, this is a rushed chapter and I apologize again if it's not up to standards. xx

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Fortune

http://www.asianfanfics.com/story/view/646036

Oh Yool is accused of murder and the only who can help her is Kwon Jiyong, the man who betrayed her at the very last moment.